New York Heads To The Lone Star State To Take On Texas
New York continues their road trip as they head to Texas to take on the Texas Rangers who are a member of the American League West.
New York comes into the opener of this three game series against Texas with a record of 30-13 "according http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/standings/ and is in first place in the American League East.
Masahiro Tanaka will get the start in the opener for New York. The Japanese right -hander comes into the game with a record of 4-2 with a 4.73 earn run average. "according to http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/33150/masahiro-tanaka Tanaka took a no-decision in his last outing, hurling five innings of three-run, four-hit ball in a suspended game against the Nationals. He has a 5.51 ERA in three May starts, having allowed 10 runs and 17 hits in 16 1/3 innings. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy He will oppose Texas right -hander Bartolo Colon who has a record of 2-1 to go along with a 2.82 earn run average. "according tohttp://www.espn.com/mlb/player/stats/_/id/3602/bartolo-colon
Colon threw 7 2/3 scoreless innings in a victory over the Mariners on Wednesday and is 2-1 with a 3.04 ERA in his last four starts. He is 6-9 with a 6.11 ERA in 20 career starts and one relief appearance against the Yanks."according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy
As for New York's previous game they won in a route of Kansas City at Kauffman Stadium while also taking the series.
Sonny Gray was working on eight days' rest on Sunday and he obviously made the most of his extra time off between starts. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-pins-down-royals-in-rubber-game/c-277541722
Gray turned in his best outing of the year by allowing just four hits over eight innings as the Yankees rolled to a 10-1 win over the Royals in the rubber game at Kauffman Stadium. For Gray, who entered the game with a 6.39 ERA, it was all about getting in a rhythm with first-pitch strikes. The right-hander didn't allow a hit until Hunter Dozier singled with two out in the fifth."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-pins-down-royals-in-rubber-game/c-277541722
Gray had a two-hit shutout working through seven innings and the Yankees had provided him an ample working margin, thanks largely to a couple of two-run homers by Tyler Austin. Miguel Andujar and Romine also went deep in the finale as the Yanks belted nine homers over the final two games in the series. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-pins-down-royals-in-rubber-game/c-277541722
"I thought his stuff was great and the slider was a really good pitch for him," Boone said. "When he's ahead [in the count], he has the weapons to put people away. That was clear today. The stuff is elite. That's why we were so optimistic about him even when he was going through some struggles." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-pins-down-royals-in-rubber-game/c-277541722
Royals starter Eric Skoglund matched Gray until the fourth when Aaron Hicks led off with a walk and Austin hit a two-run homer that traveled a projected 440 feet, according to Statcast™. The Yanks scored three runs apiece in the fourth and fifth, and that outburst essentially put the game away."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-pins-down-royals-in-rubber-game/c-277541722
The Yankees (30-13) have won eight consecutive series as they prepare to open a three-game set against the Rangers on Monday at Globe Life Park. New York hasn't taken nine series in a row since July 20-Aug. 20 in 1998. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-pins-down-royals-in-rubber-game/c-277541722
"It's so much fun to watch our offense," Gray said. "The way this offense continues to carry it out is really impressive to watch." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-pins-down-royals-in-rubber-game/c-277541722
MOMENT THAT MATTERED
With Gary Sanchez getting a day off, Romine went 3-for-5 with a homer, double and two RBIs. He also put down the signs that kept Gray working at an enviable pace. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-pins-down-royals-in-rubber-game/c-277541722
"It was pitch, mound, sign and go," Romine said of Gray's outing. "Just having a rhythm out there. He just kept making pitches. It's nice to see the bounce back." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-pins-down-royals-in-rubber-game/c-277541722
SOUND SMART
With Sunday's win, the Yankees improved to a Major League-best 24-1 when allowing four runs or fewer."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-pins-down-royals-in-rubber-game/c-277541722
HE SAID IT
"When you see [Aaron Judge], [Giancarlo Stanton] and Sanchez get into those [home-run] balls, I don't know many people who can hang with them." -- Austin, when asked about stacking up with the prominent power hitters in New York's lineup
Texas meanwhile comes into the game against New York with a record of 18-30 and is fifth in the American League West. "according to http://www.espn.com/mlb/team/_/name/tex/texas-rangers and unlike New York who is coming into the opener with a win Texas is coming off a loss to the Chicago White Sox.
Mike Minor put the Rangers in the position to earn a series split with the White Sox on Sunday, but the Texas offense didn't hold up its end of the bargain. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/mike-minor-strikes-out-9-in-defeat/c-277574662
Minor struck out nine hitters over five innings, but he allowed a Welington Castillo solo home run and a Leury Garcia two-run single in a 3-0 loss to the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field that saw the Rangers manage just two hits. The shutout loss was the first this season for Texas, which entered Sunday as the only team besides the Yankees to not be shut out this season. The Rangers have now dropped six of their last eight games. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/mike-minor-strikes-out-9-in-defeat/c-277574662
"We're a better ballclub than this," manager Jeff Banister said."according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/mike-minor-strikes-out-9-in-defeat/c-277574662
While Banister gave some credit to how effective White Sox starter Reynaldo Lopez was, he said his club didn't show a good two-strike approach for much of the day and struggled to get any offensive rhythm going."according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/mike-minor-strikes-out-9-in-defeat/c-277574662
"We missed a lot of fastballs," Shin-Soo Choo said."according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/mike-minor-strikes-out-9-in-defeat/c-277574662
With Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus on the disabled list, the Rangers have a group of youngsters trying to fill in. Although Banister isn't concerned about the morale of his team, he said after Sunday's loss that his young players have to find a way to play through disappointment. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/mike-minor-strikes-out-9-in-defeat/c-277574662
"There are tough days at this level, but however you want to play at this level, you learn to overcome, move through and not let these challenges overwhelm you," Banister said. "... They know how to play the game of baseball. Learning to play at the Major League level is a great challenge." "according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/mike-minor-strikes-out-9-in-defeat/c-277574662
After Minor departed, the combination of Tony Barnette, Alex Claudio and Chris Martin held the White Sox scoreless, as Rangers pitchers combined to strike out 13 hitters. Despite giving up the home run to Castillo, Minor felt like he pitched well and that just enough White Sox hits found open spaces to fall into, like Garcia's bloop single that drove in two. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/mike-minor-strikes-out-9-in-defeat/c-277574662
"I made quality pitches all day, I felt like," said Minor, who characterized the three runs he surrendered as unlucky. "... I felt like I pitched well, just not well enough. I couldn't stop them." "according to
"I made quality pitches all day, I felt like," said Minor, who characterized the three runs he surrendered as unlucky. "... I felt like I pitched well, just not well enough. I couldn't stop them."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Best chance missed: Trailing 1-0, the Rangers wasted a Carlos Perez leadoff double in the third inning against Lopez, who struck out Delino DeShields, got Choo to ground out and struck out Jurickson Profar. Perez's double was the last hit the Rangers produced, as Lopez struck out eight over a career-high eight innings. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/mike-minor-strikes-out-9-in-defeat/c-277574662
The White Sox responded by scoring two runs in the bottom of the third. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/mike-minor-strikes-out-9-in-defeat/c-277574662
"We've got to get to the point where, when we get down in the count, we're tough outs," Banister said. "That's the bottom line." "according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/mike-minor-strikes-out-9-in-defeat/c-277574662
HE SAID IT
"You learn in this business that you put today behind you when it's done. Today doesn't mean anything based on what tomorrow is." -- Banister, on the Rangers' young players learning to deal with tough losses. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/mike-minor-strikes-out-9-in-defeat/c-277574662
First pitch is set for 8:05pm from Globe Life Park. The game will be televised on Major League Baseball Network. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/schedule/2018-05